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On February 7, 2010, trailing 10-6 to the Indianapolis Colts at halftime of Super Bowl XLIV, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton made one of the gutsiest calls in Super Bowl history when they started the second half with an onside kick called Ambush.Chris Reis, a back-up safety and special teams player, wasn't supposed to recover the onside kick, but when the squiggling ball bounced off the chest of a Colts player, Chris pounced on the ball--and held on for everything he was worth.His recovery changed the tenor of the game and propelled the Saints to their first Super Bowl victory--and gave their Hurricane Katrina-weary fans something to cheer about.Watching the Super Bowl game that day in Miami was Chris' father, Mike. He needed his own recovery--a recovery from his addiction to alcohol, sex, and a life filled with bad choices and poor decisions.Mike Reis grew up on the working class streets of Chicago, the son of a boozing father and a teenage mother who struggled with life. Sexually abused and terrorized by his grandmother, Mike and his family moved during his teen years to Atlanta, where he discovered sex at an early age and numbed his emotional pain with alcohol.An early marriage to a high school sweetheart and the subsequent birth of two sons failed to tame his desire for sexual trysts and all-night drinking escapades. An affair led to the destruction of his first marriage and left two preschool-aged sons without a father in the home.The younger son was Chris Reis, a two-year-old who didn't understand why his father had abandoned him, and the distance between father and son remained a chasm as wide as the Grand Canyon during the boy's younger years. After his playing days at Georgia Tech, Chris won a spot on the New Orleans Saints roster. After his recovery of the onside kick in Super Bowl XLIV, there was one more recovery that needed to be made in Chris' family--his father.Recovery of a Lifetime is a gripping father-and-son tale of recovery and redemption. You won't be able to put it down.

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If some of your family doesn't care about all the time, thoughtfulness and sacrifices you've made to write this book the good news is you still have family who loves you and who are proud of you. You also have a new family of readers and people who have benefited from you sharing your story in this book.

This is a book for everyone, and probably not entirely what you expect. This is the ONLY true story I've read that will stick with me for a very long time. Recovery of a Lifetime is an honest story about the emotional devastation caused by abuse, addiction and family dysfunction. As another reviewer wrote - it should be more than 1 book because there is so much more to share here.

I wrote my first review for this book over a year ago and quickly removed it within a week. I knew the review was hurtful and untrue and it was against my better judgment. I got sucked into the drama of others flawed view of reality who still can't let go of the past.

After reading the quote below today I wanted to take the time to rewrite my review and publish it for all to see."If today were they last day of my life, would I want to do what I'm about to do today?" Steve Jobs

On a side note-- To the person who still can't let go- Refuse to be a victim. Take responsibility for forgiving yourself and others. Choose to be happy and not right.

- To the family members who care far too much- This is a sincere plea to think about 2 words mom said recently - I forgive.Listen to her before it's too late. Mom, we love you.

Mike & Chris- I apologize for writing what I did the first time. It was hurtful and unwarranted. You didn't hesitate to forgive me though. The healing process so far though has been so rewarding. Your success can only get better now from the lessons we've all learned and we will continue to learn from your examples in this book and future work you'll continue to share with others.

Mike, you didn't hesitate for a second to forgive, forget, hug and love me. What else can a person ask for in life from someone?Thank you for being you.

I'd like to end with the 2 quotes below that best describe my final thoughts on this book. Thank you again Mike and Chris for sharing your experiences with us.

- Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity. Edwin Hubbel Chapin

- Respect your experience When you have feelings like sadness or anger about your cancer or your plight, to mask them is to lead an artificial life. Steve Jobs

Being the sister of a past drug addict, the exwife of an alcoholic and present wife of a recovering alcoholic, this book really hit home! I read the first 175 pages the first day I received it. It is a powerful message about how God works in our lives and how he can work through his followers to help and heal others. Mike lived a horrible life as a child and no wonder he became an alcoholic....no excuse...but I can see why. I commend Mike and Chris on this book and just can't say enough about it. I believe everyone should read it....if you ever have a chance to have Mike come speak at your group, church, AA, NA, or any other type meeting, you won't regret it! He is a wonderful speaker and touches your heart listening to him!

The book reminded me of the movie " The Pursuit of Happyness", it was terrible until the end. However the book does show what can happen if you put your faith in the Lord. God can cure any sickness or addiction you can have. Chris Reis is an example of what can happen to a person that completely turns his life over to the Lord. If I was an alcoholic or a sex addict this book would have gotten five stars. Even though most of the book was hard for me to read, it did the most important thing we can do and that's Glorify God.

If you are into minute details this book will impress you. The answers to some issues of recovery are masked a bit in the details, which sometimes overwhelm someone who wants to "get to the point". A good success story to be sure, especially for the son and if you are into pro football success stories, you will be pleased with this, even though that too was probably more wordy than it needed to be.

This book shows that we all have a purpose in life. Follow the example of Jesus Christ and love others to Christ. Judging and condemning won't help anyone. Only a personal relationship with Christ will fulfill any of. It is an individual choice to choose so reject, but those of us blessed with knowledge have the humbling responsibility to share it.